Forging-machine.



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C. DE L. RICE. sesame llAcmua.

(Application filed Sept. 30. 1898.1

Patented Mar. 5, I901.

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THE NORRIS PEYEIS cu woruuma, wasnma'rom o. c.

Patented Mar. 5, 190i. 0. DE L. RICE.

FUBGING MACHINE (Application filed Sept. 30, 180B.

3 Sheets-Shout 2,

(We Modem 1 z W a F mU g N SN (M Q msg#2071- v Patented Mar. 5, l90l. C. DE L. RICE.

FDRGING MACHINE.

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(ND Modal.)

lllllllll I lllllllllll IL CHARLES DE LOS RICE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FORGlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,103, dated March 5, 1901.

Application filed September 30,1898. Serial No. 692,294. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES DE Los RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Forging-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to forging-machines of the general character of that shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 575,790, granted to me January 26, 1897; and the special object of theinvention is to adapt the machine shown in said patent to the manufacture of projectiles, the piercing of steel billets as a preliminary step in the manufacture of seamless tubing, &c. On account of the stubborn character of the metal employed in projectiles it is highly desirable to reduce to the smallest possible amount the machining which is required to finish them. Hydraulic machinery is sometimes employed in the forging of the projectiles preparatory to completion by machining; but on account of the necessary slowness of movement of the parts of such machinery, as Well as on account of the defective arrangement of the parts of the mold, the hot billet remains in contact with the mold or with some parts thereof sufliciently long to injure the dies very quickly and to reduce their life to such an extent as to add materially to the cost of manufacture. The present improvements, having for their main object, as already stated, the adaptation of the machine shown in said patent to the manufacture of projectiles, the piercing of billets, 850., are further designed to reduce to a minimum the time required for each complete operation and especially the time during which the work remains in contact with the mold or any part thereof, to relieve as far as possible the friction involved in ejecting the work from the mold,to render absolutely certain the ejection of the work from the mold at each operation, to reduce to a minimum the tendency of the mold to open during the opera tion, and to so arrange the parts that whatever opening of the mold takes place due to the elasticity of the structure of the machine shall be equal in opposite directions from the longitudinal axis of the work, thereby insuring the concentricity of the hole pierced with the exterior form of the projectile, which is a matter of much importance when viewed with relation to the subsequent machining of the work and to the waste of metal.

The improvements which render possible the accomplishment of the results above alluded to are illustrated for purposes of explanation of the nature of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view ofa machine similar to that shown in the Letters Patent above referred to, but modified in accordance with the present invention and adapted particularly forthe manufacture of projectiles. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections, respectively, on the planes indicated by the line 2 2 and the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detail View, partly in section and on a larger scale, illustrating the positions of the work, the several parts of the die, and the plunger at the completion of the forward movement of all of theparts.

The general arrangement of the machine shown in the accompanying drawings is similar to that of the machine shown in the Letters Patent before referred to; but in order that the present improvements may be more clearly understood all of the parts of the ma chine necessary to the performance of the desired function will be referred to hereinafter and their relations set forth.

The ponderous frame or bed plate A receives in suitable bearings A at its rear the main shaft B, which is related to the working parts of the machine, as will appear more clearly hereinafter, and is itself driven by suitable means, such as those describedin said patent. It is of some importance to observe that the longitudinal axis of the work in the present machine is disposed transversely with respect to the axis of the shaft B instead of being parallel therewith, as shown in said patent, the nature of the work performed, and especially the form of the article to be produced, in order that the desired results may be accomplished, requiring the two retaining-dies to move up equally from opposite sides to envelop the work and to be supported with equal rigidity or elasticity during the operation, so that whatever tendency to open there may be shall be equal in opposite directions from the axis of the work. These two dies or die-holders are therefore arranged to move in paths parallel with the axis of the shaft B. The mold formed by the tubular retaining and forming dies is cylindrical, extending from that line on the projectile where the taper ceases and being long enough to allow for a slight excess in length of the forged projectile over the finished projectile, the excess of length being subsequently removed by machining. The rear end of the mold thus formed is reduced in diameter to form a shoulder c for cooperation in the stripping of the work from the dies 0 after each operation, the bore within the shoulder being sufficiently large to admit freely the stem of the plunger. Each retaining-die c or part of the retaining-die is carried by a die-holder G, which is substantially as wide horizontally as the die itself, so as to support all parts of the die and prevent yielding at one end or the other and slides to and fro in ways formed in the bed-plate A and is substantially parallel with the shaft B. Each die-holder is connected at its outer end by a link or toggle-lever C with a sliding head 0 mounted in ways transverse to the axis of the shaft. A link 0 connects the head 0 with a rocking frame 0 which is mounted on a shaft secured in the frame, the link and rocking frame constituting a pair of toggle-levers. The two frames 0 are preferably rocked by hand to bring the two parts of the die up to the Work, a rock-shaft 0 mounted in suitable bearings in-the frame and having a handlever O and two short arms 0 connected by links (1 with said rocking frame, being provided for this purpose. Each rocking frame also carries a roller 0 to bear upon the periphery of a'cam C which is fixed on the shaftB in line therewith. Each cam has but a slight radial increase before the continuous dwell is reached, the purpose of the increase being to create pressure against the die which the operator could not establish by means of the hand-lever, and thereafter to lock the two dies or parts of the die firmly against opening during the operation of the machine. The amount of movement of the two dies or parts of dies due to radial increase of the cams may be very slight. The application of the handlever gives to the operator opportunity to bring the dies together upon the work before the machine is started; but immediately after the machine is started the cams operate in the manner described.

The stationary die D is firmly supported upon, the frame of the machine, its cavity be ing so shaped as to receive or form the point of the projectile up to the line where its body becomes cylindrical.

mounted on the shaft B. This arrangement The easy stripping of the work from this die is therefore assured.

secures the considerable range of movement of the punch or plunger, which is necessary. The stroke must be long enough not only to pierce to the required depth, but in withdrawing to carry back far enough so that the point of the punch or plunger shall be a little more than the length of the finished projectile from the face of the stationary die D in order to permit the removal of the finished projectile after being pierced. It will be obvious that the work elongates considerably during the operation on account of the dis placement 'of the stock through the major length of the work. It will be understood, of course, that the two retaining-dies move in immediate contact with the face of the stationary die D. WVhen they have been made to envelop the work, as already described, and the retaining pressure thereon has been established, the piercing punch or plunger immediately moves forward and performs its function. Upon the return movement of the piercing punch or plunger it carries the newlyformed projectile with it fora short distance by reason of the excess of length of the cytwo retaining-dies, thereby immediately clear ing the work from the stationary die. The end of the work or projectile, however, presently strikes the reduced portion or shoulder c of the retaining-dies c, and consequently the work or projectile is stripped from the piercing punch or plunger, which continues to retire until the limit of its movement is reached. As soon as the work is. stripped from the piercing punch or plunger the retaining-dies, through the action of a second cam O on the projection O of the rocking frame C open sufficiently to permit the work to drop from the dies through the bed of the machine. The movement of the retainingdies may commence immediately after the completion of the work, though not opening far enough to permit the shoulder c to clear the projectile until the same has been stripped from the piercing punch or plunger. The work cannot follow either of the retainingdies, because the point of the Work is still sufficiently engaged with the stationary die to prevent this. The stripping of the work is thus accomplished immediately after the completion of the operation and with absolute certainty.

In addition to the broad support given to the retaining-dies in order to prevent a tendency to open under the great internal wedging pressure during the operation it will be observed that the broad bearing of the retaining-dies against the face of the stationary die also aids in preventing the spreading of the dies at the end nearest the point of the projectile.

Although the improvements are shown and described herein with especial reference to the use of the machine in the manufacture of projectiles, it will be readily understood that the machine can be adapted to other special lindrical portion of the mold formed by the classes of work-such, for example,-as the piercing of steel billets preparatory to the manufacture of seamless tubing-by slight modifications in the form of the dies.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a forging-machine, the combination of a stationary die adapted to receive the point of the work, two retaining-dies, means to move both of said retaining-dies in opposite direc' tions toward and from the axis of the work, a piercing punch or plunger and means to move said piercing punch or plunger between the retaining-dies toward and from the face of the stationary die, the parts being so arranged that the retaining-dies are moved from the axis of the work while the point of the work is engaged by the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a forging-machine, the combination of astationary die adapted to receive the point of the work, two retaining-dies movable in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the work, a piercing punch or plunger movable between the retaining-dies toward and from the face of the stationary die, a main shaft, cams on said shaft in operative relation with said retaining-dies and an eccentric on said shaft in operative relation with said piercing punch or plunger, the parts being so arranged that the retaining-dies are moved away from the axis of the work while the point of the work is engaged by the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a forging-machine, the combination of a main shaft, astationary die adapted to receive the point of the work, two retainingdies movable in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the work in ways parallel with said shaft, a piercing punch or plu nger movable between the retaining-dies in a direction transverse to the axis of said shaft, cams on said shaft, sliding heads in operative relation with said cams and movable in ways transverse to the axis of said shaft, toggle links or levers connecting said heads respectively with said retaining-dies, and an eccentric on said shaft in operative relation with said piercing punch or plunger, the parts being so arranged that the retaining-dies are moved away from the axis of the work while the point of the work is engaged by the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a forging-machine, the combination of a main shaft, a stationary die adapted to receive the point of the work, two retainingdies movable in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the work, a piercing punch or plunger movable between the retaining-dies toward and from the face of the stationary die, cams on said shaft in relation with said retainingdies and having each a slight radial increase followed bya dwell, and an eccentric on said shaft in operative relation with said piercing punch or plunger and having its greatest eccentricity following the radial increase of said cams, the parts being so arranged that the retaining-dies are moved from the axis of the work while the point of the work is engaged by the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a forging-machine, the combination of a stationary die to receive the point of the work, two retaining-dies, a piercing punch or plunger and means to move said retainingdies toward and from the axis of the work while the point of the work is engaged by the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a forging-machine, the combination of a stationary die to receive the point of the work, two retaining dies forming a cylindrical mold and having a shoulder at the end opposite the stationary die, means to move both of said retaining-dies in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the Work, a piercing punch or plunger and means to move said piercing punch or plunger between the retaining-dies toward and from the face of the stationary die, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a forging-machine, the combination of a stationary die having a conical cavity to receive the point of the work, two retainingdies forming a cylindrical mold and [having a shoulder at the end opposite the stationary die, means to move both of said retainingdies in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the work, a piercing punch or plunger and means to move said piercing punch or plunger between the retaining-dies toward and from the face of the stationary dies, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a forging-machine, the combination of a stationary die, two retaining-dies, means for moving the retaining-dies in opposite directions toward and from the axis of the work comprising a shaft, cams on the shaft, sliding heads operatively connected with the dies and rocking frames arranged to bear against the cams, connected with the sliding heads, and means for simultaneously rocking said rocking frames to bring the two dies up to the work consisting of a rock-shaft provided with a hand-lever and two arms connected with the rocking frames, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1898.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE.

In presence of- ELIZABETH A. OULLEN, HOWARD E. HART. 

